History Minute: A look at the life of Gov. Elias ConwayElias Nelson Conway was the fifth governor of Arkansas. He presided over a prosperous two terms in office and was part of the dominance of the Conway family in the state in the decades after joining the Union. Conway was born in eastern Tennessee near the North Carolina border in 1812. His father, Thomas Conway, was a successful planter. With his wife, the former Ann Rector, they had ten children, including seven sons. His father arranged for ...

An interesting look at McClellan-Kerr WaterwayThe Arkansas River flows across four states, from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, across the plains of Kansas and Oklahoma, and into Arkansas before emptying into the Mississippi River. Though its importance to Arkansas has always been unquestioned, leaders in Oklahoma and Arkansas began to realize by the 1920s and 1930s that it could it could be so much more. Through the tireless efforts of two men – John McClellan and Robert Kerr – this dre...

William Grant, noted Arkansas composer in the 1920s through the 1940sWilliam Grant Still was a noted composer of popular and classical music. Though facing a difficult childhood, the Arkansan overcame his early setbacks and found the way to let his artistic spirit soar. Still was born in May 1895 in Woodville, Mississippi, in the southwestern corner of that state. His father died shortly after he was born, leaving him and his mother penniless. She soon moved with him to Little Rock to live with her mother. Even...

Gas station glitch lets drivers fill up for penniesA computer glitch led to a brief price war between two gas stations in northwest Ohio, allowing some drivers to fill their tanks for pennies per gallon. WTOL-TV reported a computer malfunction dropped prices at one north Toledo gas station, and another across the street lowered its prices to stay competitive last Sunday. Customer Taylor Kline told the station he filled his empty tank for just 26 cents. The extra-low pricing lasted at least thr...

History Minute: Cherry missed out on second termPolitical winds shift rapidly. In the 1950s, the Arkansas political winds swept up several promising politicians, including Gov. Francis Cherry. Though an able and otherwise honest man, Cherry was one of only five governors in state history not to be elected to a second term. Francis Adams Cherry was born in 1908 in Fort Worth, Texas, the son of a railroad conductor. As a child, the family moved across Texas and Oklahoma. The family settled in...

Conger shaped higher education in ArkansasOf the many figures to shape higher education in Arkansas, John Conger has perhaps the most unique experience. Throughout his leadership career, he served as president of five colleges, including three in Arkansas. John William Conger was born in Jackson, Tennessee, in 1857. His father was an architect. He earned a bachelors degree from Union University in 1878, followed by a masters degree in 1885. One of his earliest duties as an educator wa...

Suspect steals patrol carPolice said a Pennsylvania shoplifting suspect is in custody on charges that he briefly stole a police car. Springettsbury Township police said the bizarre chain of events began shortly before 1 p.m. Monday. That’s when police responded to call Marlo Harvard, Jr., 21, of Baltimore, had left a Wal-Mart with some stolen merchandise. Police spotted Harvard near a bus stop and gave chase, and when one officer left his car to join in, Harvard circl...

The failure of multiculturalismJust as radar warns of approaching storms, so does the flood of migrants entering Europe warn us of a deluge yet to come, not only for Europeans, if they continue to allow unrestricted immigration, but for the United States. Reports that women in Cologne, Germany, have been groped and robbed by men described by authorities as having “a North African or Arabic” appearance should be warning enough, but there are other and more ominous warnings t...

Remembering when the music diedA nice reader wrote, “You include old 50’s song lyrics in your column often you must be an old rock ‘n roll fan. So, tell me, when do you think our music was born and when did it die?” The birth, Ralph? Many say it began with Bill Haley and the Comets recording “Rock Around the Clock.” And, for its death, I’m sure you refer to the plane crash killing Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the ‘Big Bopper’ Feb. 3, 1959. A day immortalized by Don McLea...

News Thoughts: Police recover another load of stolen cheeseFor the second time in a week, police in Wisconsin recovered a stolen load of cheese worth tens of thousands of dollars. Marshfield Police Lt. Darren Larson said 41,000 pounds of parmesan cheese worth $90,000 was stolen from a Marshfield distributor Jan. 15. A semi picked up the cheese that day, but it never reached its intended destination in Illinois. Larson said investigators received a tip Thursday that the cheese was likely in Grand Chute...

Burglary suspect identified after locking keys in carA man suspected of burglarizing two Alaska businesses was delayed in his get-away by locking his keys in his car. A call to a cab company helped open the car but also led to his identification. Surveillance video led police in North Pole, a city 14 miles south of Fairbanks, to seek a warrant for Joseph Michael Barria, 27, who is suspected of stealing tools, stereo equipment and other property from a laundry and a fitness business. The Jan. 6 v...

History Minute: Anderson a pioneer in making movies popularModern moviegoers often go to the movies looking for newer and more dazzling feature for their movies, looking for clever computer-generated graphics, stirring soundtracks, stereo surround sound, and high-definition digital pictures. At the turn of the century, movies offered none of those, only grainy, flickering images without any sound at all. Arkansas native Gilbert M. Anderson became a pioneer in making movies popular with the American pu...

History Minute: Glover paved way for higher educationAt the beginning of the 20th century, Arkansas education was still in a very primitive state. One man in particular brought higher education to thousands of Arkansans in an unparalleled effort. With one piece of legislation in 1909, Robert Glover introduced what became four prominent universities in the state and opened limitless opportunities for generations of Arkansas students. Robert William Glover was born in Grant County in 1866 into a f...

The night the Holy Ghost visited the MethodistsRemember Ray Stevens’ crazy song about the Mississippi squirrel causing a revival in the Pascagoula church? I’m here to tell you about a similar event that took place in Carthage. It happened during a “Watch Night” service. For those who don’t know, Watch Night is a long service on New Year’s Eve that includes about five hours of singing, testifying, and preaching lasting up until midnight, when the church bell rings in the new year. This is h...

Burglary suspect returned to get iced tea bottleAuthorities in Florida said a suspected burglar was arrested after returning to a crash scene to retrieve a bottle of iced tea, fearing it would be used as evidence. Bryan Lindon, 23, was reportedly charged with burglary of an unoccupied residence and grand theft. Authorities said Lindon and another person are suspected of breaking into a Cooper City home Tuesday morning, then trying to break into another residence in Pembroke Pines. Police ar...

Couple engaged at Wal-Mart, then accused of theftA Michigan couple’s engagement got off to a rocky start last year. Police said a 25-year-old man proposed marriage to a 20-year-old woman at a Bay City Wal-Mart store in front of employees and other shoppers who congratulated them on Dec. 30. But that same night, William Cornelius Jr. later was accused of shoplifting at a nearby store and arrested. Court records showed the items included an edible thong and sex toy. The Bay City Times, citing ...

Bonneville documented unexplored landsThe early years of the United States includes tales of many daring explorers. One of these figures was Benjamin Louis Eulalie de Bonneville, a Frenchmen by birth who immigrated to the United States and eventually made Arkansas his home. Bonneville gave Americans a much clearer view of the Rocky Mountain West thanks to his travels in the 1830s. Benjamin Bonneville was the son of a publisher and born in Paris, France, in 1796. In 1803, the famil...

History Minute: Westbrook fought to preserve historical buildingsPeople will often drive past or walk by an old building in their city without giving it a second thought. For some, an old building is such a constant fixture that they forget about the events that took place inside it or stop noticing the beauty and originality of the design. And for still others, an old building is an impediment to progress. For Parker Westbrook, the past was worth treasuring and preserving. Because of the work of Westbrook,...

Woman beats DUI rap with claim her body brews alcoholDrunken-driving charges against an upstate New York woman were dismissed based on an unusual defense: Her body is a brewery. The woman was arrested while driving with a blood-alcohol level more than four times the legal limit. She then discovered she has a rare condition called “auto-brewery syndrome,” in which her digestive system converts ordinary food into alcohol, her lawyer Joseph Marusak said in interviews last week. A town judge in the ...

News Thoughts: Boss works his 40th straight ChristmasA New Jersey convenience store executive fulfilled his Christmas tradition of working in one of the company’s stores for the 40th consecutive year. QuickChek Senior Vice President Mike Murphy worked Friday at a store in Mount Arlington. Murphy said he’s always felt he should work the holiday since many of the employees have to. According to the company’s website, it has 140 stores in New York and New Jersey. He served coffee and cleaned inside...